Blues fans that were excited about them being on VERSUS…

Added by Laura Astorian on September 1, 2009.

… check your local listings.  Or, well, if you have DirecTV, keep your fingers crossed for a resolution.  The conflict between how much money Versus gets for DirecTV to supply about a third of their viewers did not have a clean resolution.  If you have DirecTV and you flip over to channel 603, you get a nice little message that sounds like it was written by a 12 year old girl who commands the Soviet Army:

Versus is no longer available on this channel.  Comcast, which owns Versus, has forced us to take down the channel because we will not submit to their unfair and outrageous demands.

We will not break!  We will not allow Versus to raise what they expect from us by 20%!  DirecTV then added insult to injury by basically calling them an informercial channel who sporadically shows sports.  From their statement on the DirecTV website:

What’s keeping you from reaching an agreement?
Comcast is asking for terms which do not reflect the market and which they are not asking of all other distributors. They claim their offer is status quo when in reality, they are asking for almost a 20% increase in fees. DIRECTV wants to keep your monthly fees low, so it’s doing everything it can to avoid paying exorbitant programming fees.

Well, ow.  But really not that far off of the mark.  Versus *is* a nonentity who holds the rights to exactly one sport that draws a substantial audience: ice hockey.  And, frankly for a channel that reaches (note the word REACHES) 75 million homes to be arrogant enough to try to fight with DirecTV, who supplies a quarter of those TVs, well – that’s insane.  Yes, Versus is owned by Comcast (who also happen to own the Flyers) and yes, a contentious relationship is to be expected between the two competitors.  But this is really in Comcast and Versus’ best interest to get a deal worked out ASAP.  DirecTV isn’t losing money – they’re just having to deal with a few irate hockey fans who can buy Center Ice.  Comcast is losing money and viewers by doing this, and is giving the “Send hockey back to ESPN” crowd some ammo.

Versus seems to be in denial, claiming that they’ve added marquee sporting events.  No, bullfighting doesn’t count.  MMA doesn’t count.  A college football game between two Pac10 teams that a majority of the nation doesn’t care about doesn’t count.  I’m sorry, but make your channel relevant and you probably wouldn’t have the naysayers saying nay so much.  DirecTV didn’t take away our right for anything.  DirecTV is giving Versus the best free publicity since everyone started making fun of that stupid “Show us your V!” campaign, and the NHL is getting a good blow at what a misguided long term contract with a cable channel most people don’t realize exist is all about.

I’m siding with DirecTV on this one, though if NHL.com were smart, they’d enter into a joint venture with Versus to simulcast the broadcast on NHL.com – just leave the ads in and such, and boom.  It’s just like watching TV, but better, because when Engblom’s hair pops up on the screen, there’s always another window to look at.

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  • Laura Astorian

    That would necessitate me paying attention to football. :D

  • http://chicagothrash.surrendered.org Brian Rudisel

    http://www.nfl.com/promotions/directv/sundayticket

    I think the “Only on DirecTV” should answer your question.

  • Laura Astorian

    Nah, Brian – I totally understand where you’re coming from. I just question the value of the product (hockey aside, obviously) and if what they were trying to charge was the actual market value.

    Does DirecTV have a monopoly on Sunday Ticket? If so, well… that explains a lot about the other reasons Pop got it. :)

  • http://chicagothrash.surrendered.org Brian Rudisel

    I guess it’s about experience. My customer service experience with DISH has been awesome and it stays on in some pretty nasty Thunderstorms (storms that would even knock out the old cable).

    As for he said/she said…the only thing I see that Comcast is doing wrong is hiking up their price. They’re not playing the finger pointing, whining-like-a-child game. It’s a matter of economic fact…if your rival company wants to provide your services, you charge a premium. DTV already overcharges their customers when the cheaper company (DISH) is able to afford their Comcast dues without problem. So, why is DTV, a company that milks money out of its customers, so unable to afford the premium requested by Comcast?

    As Puck Daddy pointed out, DTV gets NFL Sunday Ticket revenues out the butt. Correct me if I’m wrong, but that may make DTV the highest revenue programming service, and they call a rival’s premium “unfair” and advertise that to their customers. Who’s playing dirty business? Comcast didn’t ask the channel to be taken down; it was an act of childish martyrdom on DTV.

    Love ya lots, Laura, but we may have to agree to disagree. :)

  • Laura Astorian

    Now TX/Wyoming, I’d actually watch it. But honestly, I threw football out there as an example… but I do admit that I’m not a huge football fan. Is it Vs. only rights, or will they be broadcast in local markets as well? This could be a problem with the NCAA… I wonder if it’ll be a big enough one for them to get involved.

    Brian, when I first saw the photo of that message on Puck Daddy I thought it was a Photoshop, because no way would a professional company be that petulant. Apparently I was wrong. I still am going with DTV on this one, but they really need to change their tone. Why this is becoming a “he said/she said” (not that networks have genders) is beyond me. But, like just about everything else nowadays, it’s gotta get all personal.

    I agree with you too about Dish being more value for your money. The reason I went with DTV is because of the horrible service my dad got with Dish – it went out all the time, no one’d answer his questions, he couldn’t get a tech to come out… I figured I’d save myself the headache and get DirecTV.

    They’re still getting an irritated e-mail from me. And no, I’m not trying to weasel free Center Ice out of them. Why would I do that? :)

  • http://chicagothrash.surrendered.org Brian Rudisel

    Also, DirecTV accuses Comcast of stifling the competition. So how come DISH Network is airing Versus without acting like a 12-year-old girl?

    “They regularly try to charge us amounts well in excess of what is fair and reasonable to carry the programming they own. Their reason is obvious: they want to stifle competition from DIRECTV.”

    Seriously? There is nothing professional about the way DirecTV handles any of this.

  • http://chicagothrash.surrendered.org Brian Rudisel

    I’m sorry, but I’ll have to side with Comcast on this one (as much disdain I have for them after switching to DISH Network).

    You have to admit, DirecTV is being a drama queen, or unprofessional really, when they display a message like that when turning to Versus.

    Maybe if DirecTV had handled the situation more professionally to the eye of the the consumer, I would have sided with them, but the fact that they’re missional in giving Comcast a black eye gives me no choice but to not submit to their pity party.

    Besides, DirecTV is a ripoff compared to what DISH offers for the same money.

  • http://floridapantherstalk.blogspot.com Karl Selvig

    Lol, you’ve watched more Sports Soup than I have…

  • Laura Astorian

    Wait… someone watched Sports Soup? I tried it once and I felt so bad for how hard he was trying I had to turn it off.

    I kind of wanted to just mail him a bunch of money to pay him to never do that show again.

  • http://floridapantherstalk.blogspot.com Karl Selvig

    Well said. I, too, have to side with DirecTV, and not just because I am a DirecTV customer. Personally, the ONLY time I have ever actually watched VS was for playoff hockey. Other than that… I can’t say I’m an avid viewer of hunting shows or WEC or bull riding. I get NHL Center Ice anyways, so I don’t even watch their regular season NHL games.

    I’m not really sure who got into the minds of the VS higher-ups and said “hey, people need their Sports Soup! We need to charge more for this!” Hopefully they’ll come to their senses before the season starts and hockey won’t be too hurt by this. Then again, maybe it’ll lead the NHL back to ESPN sooner rather than later.

  • zambonirodeo

    Good post, but don’t kid yourself – more people care about even a crappy college football match-up like Texas Wyoming than any regular season hockey game. Is that package worth Directv paying more for? Probably not, but neither is the NHL.

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